CENTRAL Coast Local Health District is enforcing new limits on people visiting patients in local hospitals as it tries to stop the spread of COVID-19.
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The changes have been implemented for the "safety and wellbeing of patients and the community", CCLHD said in a statement on Wednesday.
CCLHD chief executive Dr Andrew Montague said visiting hours had been reduced and restrictions put in place limiting the number of people who can visit patients.
"Visiting hours at Gosford, Wyong and Woy Woy hospitals and Long Jetty Health Centre are now 6pm to 8pm," Dr Montague said.
"We ask that patients are only visited by one visitor during these visiting hours who is either their partner, carer, guardian or nominated significant other.
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"In certain areas including maternity, mental health and children's services we have different arrangements in place. If you are visiting a patient in one of these services or coming in for an antenatal clinic please refer to our website before you come to check what arrangements we have in place.
"We acknowledge there are special circumstances where additional support may be needed, such as for patients receiving end-of-life care, palliative care and dementia patients requiring extra support. If anyone wants to discuss specific circumstances we are asking they speak to the inpatient unit's nurse unit manager."
Dr Montague said people must be feeling well if they planned to visit someone in hospital.
"In line with current advice, visitors must not enter any of our hospitals or healthcare facilities if they have a fever or a cold and flu-like illness or if they have been overseas in the last 14 days," Dr Montague said.
"People who have been in contact with anyone who has COVID-19 in the last 14 days must also not visit loved ones in our hospitals or healthcare centre."
As of Wednesday afternoon, two people on the Central Coast had been diagnosed with coronavirus. Both were being cared for and supported by CCLHD, and both were reported to be "doing well".
In the Hunter New England Health District, the number of known cases had risen to 11.
Of the four new cases confirmed on Wednesday, two people had recently returned from overseas, and two had attended a wedding on the South Coast where a person who has since been diagnosed with coronavirus had been present.
Details about visiting hours and instructions for all services at Gosford, Wyong and Woy Woy Hospitals, and Long Jetty Healthcare Centre can be found here.
